Chapter 29: We Are Family

Upon learning that Huan Ya had gone outside, Song Tiancheng straightened up and craned his neck to take a look. Satisfied that the little girl was safe, he settled back into his seat.

The voices of the two women outside made it impossible for him to quiet his mind or focus on his book, so the substance of their conversation naturally drifted into his ears.

At first, Song Tiancheng had no particular thoughts, but when he heard his mother mention that Huan Ya’s father had once done their family a great kindness, everything became clear. He knew his mother’s temperament well; for her to remember someone for so long—and for that memory to change her attitude toward the girl—it had to be a matter of significant importance.

Since his childhood, the only person his mother had spoken of with such lasting regard was the scholar from Ma Family Village. After passing the imperial examinations to become a xiucai, Song had hoped to visit and express his gratitude, but the man had already passed away, and his family had vanished without a trace. That debt of gratitude had remained unpaid.

Once he realized that Huan Ya was the daughter of Ma Xuyang, Song Tiancheng’s intentions aligned with his mother’s: if they could not repay the father, they would care for the daughter.

However, upon hearing Huan Ya’s words, a shift occurred within him. His gaze fell upon her, uncontrollable. As he watched her earnestly explaining herself, a ripple of emotion stirred in his heart for reasons he could not name. If, when he first met her, he had seen only a pitiful little girl, he now realized that her heart and mind were, in truth, more perceptive than any of theirs.

Song Tiancheng sighed softly, finding himself somewhat ridiculous. Having lived twenty-one years, he had been less insightful than a girl who had not yet reached womanhood. He closed his eyes for a moment, a faint, detached smile touching his lips. He understood that Huan Ya spoke this way because she did not wish to receive special treatment; she wanted to repay their kindness in her own way. It seemed he would never be able to fully repay the debt he owed to the scholar Ma.

Outside, Mother Song and her son were truly cut from the same cloth; after hearing Huan Ya, her thoughts mirrored his. She looked at the girl before her and felt, once again, that she had truly found a treasure.

After a long silence, Mother Song said, "I understand, child. Just... don't push yourself too hard." She sighed, her eyes brimming with a mix of tenderness and heartache. "I know your intentions, but the past is behind us. We are one family now, so let us have no more of this polite talk. Can we agree on that?"

Huan Ya wanted to say something, but when she heard Mother Song call them "one family," she could not help but nod. A home—after her parents had passed, she had no home left.

"Alright, alright! Come, let's head up the mountain. Let Chengzi go hungry for a bit; we'll fix him something when we get back." Mother Song found the girl’s level of sensibility almost painful to witness. As for her son... well, skipping a meal wouldn't hurt him.

Huan Ya hurriedly shook her head. "I... I used some white flour and made two flatbreads." As she spoke, she looked up at Mother Song cautiously, fearing she might be scolded for using the household's supplies without permission. For the past two days, she had only cooked when Mother Song explicitly told her to. But today, fearing they might wake up to find her absent and blame her for not preparing breakfast, she had acted on her own.

Seeing that Mother Song remained silent, she rushed to explain, "I didn't use much, just a little bit..."

"Huan Ya," Mother Song interrupted. She took the girl's hand, noticing the blisters on her skin, and her eyes filled with pity. "I am not blaming you. I just said that we are family now; you may use anything in the kitchen. You never need to explain yourself to me."

Huan Ya’s eyes suddenly reddened. She nodded emphatically. "I understand."